Chain guard



"Allgv- 1.2;."1930, Y, R. R. DUNLQPA l 1,772,511() CHAIN GUARD v Filed June 8, 1925 ATT RNEYS.

f elongated horizontally projecting: kerfcutter ROBERT n. DUNLOP, oF ooiLUivrnUs,4

INGoomrimgorfoonulunus, omo, A ooRroRA'rIoN oF"'oH1o Y fnmilicaabffue/al inn s, i923; serial No`.f e44,1ra1.V

The,presentinvelitionrelates to certaiinew and usefulfiniprovemeiits in chainA guards, adapted to'fp'r'ote'cttheicutter chain of a coal mining machine fromaccidenta-l contact.withlr 5' the. person of the operator.`

` IAshortwall mining machine, as commonly constructed, comprise'sa main frame vand an rigidly attached thereto. :When fsucnalmachine is handledr inV the vdark 'and restricted chambers of a coallniine, thelopeaton and hishelper are in'constantdangerof accidental contact ywith the unprotected moving.` cutter vhits, and to avoid this danger a shieldglias'been providedfwhich is adapted to lie outside of and l*aloo vnftlie path` of the moving,cutterV bits Y to protect the operatorandhis helper therefrom f As thelzerf fcutter is longitudifnally. into the coal the .forward endv Lof this t yshieldfk contacts ,Y with the coal facet and is pushed rearwardly into a recess ofthe main respectively the free ends of which are adaptframe; v As heretofore constructedthis shield Vrnust be manually. restored to` guarding jposialong the entire' length of thekerfcutter of 'a shortwall mining machine when s aidcutter -arin is outside of the,kerf,;and ywhich may be kloits 8 adapted to engage. the coal;to out it collapsedV intothe Vframe of the machine., as the kerfcutter` is thrust longitudinally into the coal. y

y A further Objectis toiprovide of the yclass described which `will automatically returnto-its `extended position alongtherlierf 'cutter as vsaid `kerf` c 1 1 trer iswithdrawn lTheseA and other forthinthe following `spe cifioation Areference illustrated Fig. 1;

several figures( tion when the kerf cutter is withdrawn from .f the coal, and, sincethe kerf cutter vusually 5 approximately twice the. length of the inain.

3,1isv a Asectionitalien 'III-+111 of.l Fig.`1. v

along aline y'Figure isA a' `transverse lsection tavkeniy 1 the line of Figure 1. Figure 5 'is an enlarged'elevation illustrat- .ing the relation:ofthetelescoping Lsections of theguardat oneside ofthe ma'chine.-

.Like numerals referto sii'nilar rparts vin the i In' uw drawings I llave show'nrf partages i of illustration, ,a ,shortwall mining flnachine of well known constructionv havingramain frame'l adapte'dltorest upon and slide over .the fioorof the naine; wUpon themainjfram@ i) l is mounted a inotor Qwhi'ch connected `by with the cutter chain Sand with the feeding 02110,* AssiGNon :ro THE JEFFRE MnNUFAo'runf' suitable gearing,notn-shownin the drawings,

v'devices hywhichthe machine is fed into the` coal. As herey shown these feeding @devicesi I I l n 4 "t v comprlsetwo winding rdrulns i andV 5 upon mwhiich are Mwindable the feedjropes 6 and? f ed'to loeAk connected to "suitable aloutnientsoutT suitable strains upon the ropes willfrnove vand guide theniachine over the floor ofthe Yruine' A `.in themanner well understood in the art As these devices are wellunderstood loythose skilled in the art, and "as `they -vforni ,f no part e in the'present-invention, further description is not thoughtto berequired atthistime.

The cutter chain Sis of wellknojwn construction and isprovided with',,renewaloley cutter Thefcutterchain'` 3 is adapted to travel in yguideways formedk on .the edges ofthe cutter arm 9 which projects horizontallyfroni andv is rigidly attached-tothe main frame 1. y

Forrned ifn'eachside `of the nain Aframe 1;r l n `angie bars 1 3.V Tlierguardjangle `bars 13 eX- tically disposed `'flangesli Lwhich project upflangesy lwhicheirtend linwardly above 'the cutter chain to guard 't against 'accidental is aflaterallyprojecting semi-'cylindri'cal eX- i90.

wardly alongQthechain outsidethepath of `the cutter bits .8, and horizontally disposed-V Contact with the person of the operator. AtV

their outer ends the flanges 15 are connected together by the cross bar 16, thus forming a rigid rectangular frame supported by thev tujbular members 11, and longitudinally slidable'ivith said members into a `recess of the main'frame.

Slidable' inthe tubular members '11 are eX- tension tubes 17 which are connected together a tt h eir` outer ends by a yokecastingilS to' form a rigid'frai'rieY supported-,by saidtubular members and lconstituting a telescoping eX-V tension thereto.- Angle bars 19atta'cliedsto and rearwardly projecting from the yoke casting 18 are positioned 'toelietYin-theI angles-- of the` anglev barsl, and are Aheld `vin sliding relation therewith'J by secondary- 'flangejs 2O yand 21 formed thereon. Lugs` 22"and formed ontheiflangesfl'and 19 serve'to limit 2'0 outward movement of the angle'bars1'9vrel'a-l tivel to the angle bars V1 3.

Withinfthe tubular membersv11and 17'I are compression springs y211 Whiclrenga'ge abu'tments "25 of the main frame ands abiitments y.25 26 ofthe .yokecasting 18, andthe reactionv of these ysprinf'gs tends tomovesaid yoke cast- VTing to the1 outer cutterjb'ar. 1 Y A In the operati'onofamining machine 'such 30Vv asis here illustrated the'pmachine is first'po- `sitioned at. one sdeyof the working .Y place,

with the, cutter arm projecting t'ovva'rdsytl'ie i ec'ialface.l After "the cuttergcliainqis set 1n motion *the 'machine is moved longitudinally "forward to thrust the c'utterar'm endwise intO thecoalto make the 'n sum ingorentering cut.4 After theimachineis Vu'lly surnped it 'is 'movedlaterally to cut 'a k'erf-across'the c oal `fa'c e,f'and when vthis ke'rf is' lcompleted vthe 40fmachine'ris moved vawayifro'm thefaeeto Withdrfavs7 the cutter arm from the coal.` As

heretofore constructedthef unprotected moving'c'utte'rchainconstitutes a serious menace tothefoperator and his assistant 'during the l sumpingylandi Withdrawal of the machine,

" thereby lmaterially' adding' tofthefrisks involved`A in i mining coal.y InY-a Vmachine equipped'with'my improved chain guardthe entire length vfof the cutter chain is at vall of'times protected-'5 As the cutter bar advances vinto'the coal the-yoke casting 18,' 'which -may befrounded, "as shown, or' otherwiseVv suitably shaped 'toi'ride' easily 'alongf a vert-ical W'all,

' contacts with thecalface'andI is pushed rearf 55 1 wardly of the cutter farm 'causing the com# i pressionl jfo'f f ytjhesprin'gsv 24@ andj sliding-` the langle"bai- S113 and19 into the recess-"ofthe c; main frame When the 'machine is wanforward restoringthe angle bars 13`ai'id19fto limit of its travel along .the

myself t0 the precise construction here illustrated, asr these devices may be subject to Wide variation Without departure from the spirit of my invention. Furthermore, it will be obvious thativhile I have shown the invention appliedto a particular type of min- King machine; namely, `the shortwall type, it kmay be adapted to other types, if desired.

uWhat I claim is 1, In a machine y.of the vclass describel, thc vcombination Lofa main frame, a cutter eX- tending therefrom, a normally projected cutfgterguard embracing the sides of said cutters made up of a plurality of telescoping sections, supportingme'anscfor said guard topermit said. guard sections to. besmoved rearwardly "and uncover the sideljed es `o fsaid'cutter upon v' contact with the lcoal face:kr as 'the' cutteivadvarices i into the xcoal,'jandy resilient means lhousedby the guard to' automatically return lsaid guardsectionsto cutter .guarding position as the cutter is Withdrawn from the'coal. 2. Ina machine of tlie class described, the combination` of a main frame, Yacutter eX tending therefrom, a normally projected lout-n: 'ter'guard Vsection embracing 'the sides `of said cutter andrmountedin saidm'ain frame. to slide"longitudinally relative to saidl cutter, second .'cutterfguard section embracingthe sides of said cutter and mounted to slide lontani f'rtuilin-'al-ly in's'ai'd'ffir'st named guard section, othpof 'saids'eetions adaptedy to jmove rear-` twafrdly and telescopejupo'nl` contact with the V'coal face as. the cutter advancesiinto thecal, vand meanshousedby v the guard s'ectionstoz'ifog autoinatically'` return said guard l'sentieris to cutter guardin'gposition as thecu'tt'er'is ivithldralwn'from the coal'. t s, c,

3,'Inacdeviceofthe class described, vthe combinationjin amining'machine, of 'a maineq05 frame, an elongated kerf` cutter mounted f' thereon, and Iflfieansy vto actuate said ik'erf cutf ter and feedj it' into'the' coal to .formaikerf therein, anglefbars mounted upon said Inla- 'chneV adaptedto Slide longitudinally there ss-11o of lai'id' normally extending in guarding positionlalong said kerf cutter, inwardly l,pro-

-jec'ti'nganges 'on the'arms of said angle' bars, VV'auxilfiary' anglev4 :bars 'telescopica'lly mounted in fsad )first named `'angle 'bars on the 'flangesafl thereof, `andi 'means acting au'toniaticallyy :to Emovei said angle bars into. guarding position-as ls'aid cutter withdraws from ,the coal. a device ofthevclass described, the V@combix'iatioii in a ininijngzmachine, of 4a lmain frame', an 'elongated kerf cutter mounted thereon, andmeaiis toactuate said'kerfcutlterandto feedit into the coal to lform' akerf inguauto'r'natically to move}lai d angle barsl intoguardingposition as said kerf cutterl lwithdraws Vfromy the coal. A

f 5. AIna device of the class described, the

combination in a ,mining machine, [of a 4main frame, an elongated lrerf cutter "mounted thereon, and means to actuate said kerf cutter and to feed it into the coal'to form a kerf therein, guideways carried lby said main trame,v sleeve members slidably mounted in said guideways, angle bars secured to said sleeve members and normally extending inl guarding rposition along said kerfcutter,

auxiliarysleeve members mounted in" said rst named sleeve members, angle bars carf ried by said Aauxiliary sleeve members and L normally extending in guarding position along said lierfy cutter, and means mounted in said sleeve 'members acting automaticallyk to move said angle bars into guarding` posi-` j tionfas said kerf cutterwithdraws from the coal.

v6."In` ai device of the class described, the

combination in a mining machine,of a main frame, an elongatedv kerf cutter mounted thereon,1and means to actuate said kerf cut-v ter and to feed it into the coal to form a kerf therein, guideways carried by said main fra-me, sleevevmembers slidably mounted in said guideways, angle bars carried byy said fs sleeve members adapted .to slide 'longitudi- 'i g nally of the machine and normally extending 4 1in guarding position along said kerf cutter,

- inwardly projecting flanges on the arms of said angle bars, auxiliary,` sleevemembers mounted in said iirst'namedsleeve members,

angle bars rcarried bysaid `auxiliary sleeve members and telescopically mounted upon said .flanges, and" means mounted in vsaid,

sleeve members acting automatically to move said angle barsy intoguarding position, as said kerf cutter withdraws'from the coa1.

j, 7. In a ydevice of the class described, thev combination in a mining machine, of a main frame, an elongated kerf cutter mounted thereon, and meansto actuatesaid lrerfcut ter and to feed it into the coal to form a kerf therein, semi-cylindrical guideways carried by said main frame,`tubular members slidably mounted in said guideways and having laterally extending bosses engaging said guide'ways, angle bars secured to ysaid bosses and adapted to move longitudinally of the machine to occupy guardingposition extend-l ing along opposite sides ofgsaid kerf cutter and ladapted to engage the coal face to be ,j moved thereby rearwardly in said guideways Y when said kerf `cutter is `thrust longitudi` nally in the coal, andmeans housed in said tubular members `and guid'eways and acting toautomatically move said-tubular members fand angle barsoutwardly into guarding position as said kerf cutter iswithdrawnrfrom 8. lIn a machine Yof the class described, a

main frame, an elongated'digging device mounted thereon, means to actua-tesaid dig' f n ging device and' to 'feed it into` the material,`

lguideways carried by saidmain frame, apair of guards slidably mounted in` said guideways and movable longitudinally thereofto occupy-a guarding positionextending along` the exposed portions of `said digging device, a cross-bar connectinglthe ends of said guards and adaptedto engage thev material, saidbar having its ends projected laterally beyond said guards, and automatically acting means j associated wit-h theprojecting ends `of said bar to move said guard outwardly along said guideway as the digging'device is withdrawn l' from the material. p Y j l9. In a machine of the class described,a maini frame, an elongated digging vdevice mounted thereon, meansto actuate said'dig ging device and to feed it into t-he material, guideways carried by `said mainframe, a pair of guards slidably mounted in said guideways and movable longitudinally thereof tooo# cupy a guarding position extendingy along the exposed portions of said digging device, across-bar connectingthe ends of said guards and adapted to engage the material, said bar having its ends projected laterallybeyond j said guards, guide mea-ns secured tothe pro?, jecting ends of said bar `and slidably associated with said main frame, and means associatedV with said' guide-means to automatically move said guard outwardly along said I guideway as the digging device is withdrawn i occupy a guarding position extending along f the exposed portions of said' digging device, a cross-bar connecting the ends of said guards and adapted to engage thematerial, said bar said guards, telescopic means securedfto the projecting endsof said bar, and means housed by said telescopic means automatically acting to move ysaid guard Voutwardly along said'v guidewayy as saiddigging device yis V'withdrawn from the material. i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. j'

ROBERT 1R. DUNLOP.

having its ends projected laterally beyond no 

